South Central (TV series)

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South Central is an American comedy series that aired on the Fox network from April 5, 1994 to June 7, 1994. It was cancelled following its first season, after ten episodes aired.

Video South Central (TV series)

Synopsis

The series was set in 1990's South Central Los Angeles, and dealt with the lives of an African American family, the Moseleys, and issues such as gang violence, drugs, dating, sex, school, and unemployment. Joan Moseley (Tina Lifford) is a divorced mother, raising three children with no assistance from her ex-husband. Her oldest son Marcus having been murdered years earlier by a gang member, Joan's financial situation becomes complicated after she is laid off. Her remaining children include Andre (Larenz Tate), Tasha (Tasha Scott), and foster son Deion Carter (Keith Mbulo). Rounding out the cast of characters are Joan's friend "Sweets" (Paula Kelly) and Andre's mentor Dr. Ray McHenry (Ken Page).

South Central featured many guest stars including Jennifer Lopez, Shar Jackson, and Maia Campbell. The series, which was produced on a smaller budget than most sitcoms, was popular among critics for what was perceived as a realistic and sometimes dark portrayal of urban life.

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Cancellation

The show aired on Tuesday evenings following Roc. Due to the decline in ratings of the entire night of programming, Fox cancelled all the shows on that night (which also included The Sinbad Show and In Living Color) and created the Tuesday Night movie. The cancellation of the series, all of which had predominately black casts, prompted Jesse Jackson to call for a boycott of the network for perceived institutional racism. Fox maintained that the series were low rated and the decision to cancel was not racially motivated.

Series creator Ralph Farquhar would later co-create the UPN sitcom Moesha, along with Sara V. Finney and Vida Spears. The series (a more traditional sitcom) was set in Leimert Park, a middle-class neighborhood in (then called) South Central Los Angeles. Lamont Bentley and Shar Jackson were members of the cast.